Canucks’ Luongo to start Game 7

One has to wonder about the mental state of Vancouver Canucks goalie, Roberto Luongo, who will be starting Game 7 on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Luongo, who is a Vezina Trophy finalist and a gold medal winner from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, was bypassed for last Sunday’s Game 6 in favour of rookie, Cory Schneider. If that wasn’t enough to damage Luongo’s pride, a big question, that Vancouver fans have to be wondering, is whether … or not … his past two performances will influence how he performs in Game 7. Luongo, who struggled last year in a Game 7, loss to the Blackhawks, had struggled in Game’s 4 and 5 in allowing 10 goals on 40 shots. Still his coach, Alain Vigneault, has expressed confidence in his veteran goalie. “Roberto’s handled the big stage before … he’ll be fine,” said Vigneault about his goalie, who went 38-15-7 with a tidy 2.11 GAA and a .928 save percentage this season. Luongo, who came on early in the third period of Game 6, was informed by Vigneault that he would start Game 7 if it … indeed … went that far.